Hong Kong govt, democracy protest leaders begin talks

Hong Kong authorities and pro-democracy protest leaders sat down on Tuesday for talks aimed at ending weeks of rallies that have paralysed the city’s streets, on the same day the city’s leader ruled out democratic reforms. The crucial talks began just hours after Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying said open elections would result in the largest sector of society, the city’s poor, dominating the electoral process, adding that free elections were impossible.Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed leader Leung Chun-ying told media that if the government met pro-democracy protesters’ demands it would result in the city’s poorer people dominating elections. In an interview with foreign media, the embattled chief executive reiterated that free elections were impossible.